South Africans have left dozens of hand-made messages for Nelson Mandela outside the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria. Photo: Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla

Family members including one of Mr Mandela's daughters and at least two grandchildren were seen gathering on Tuesday for a meeting in the village of Qunu, where the charismatic former leader spent his childhood tending cattle and living in mud-walled huts.

The meeting was called "to discuss delicate matters", according to South Africa's SAPA news agency, amid speculation that the location of his possible gravesite was on the agenda.

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The 94-year-old's condition appeared to take a significant turn for the worse at the weekend with the presidency announcing on Sunday that he was "critical".

One of his granddaughters, Ndileka, told AFP on Tuesday that Mr Mandela's condition was "stable".

Nelson Mandela's house, in the village of Qunu. His family have gathered at the homestead. Photo: AFP/Rodger Bosch

Flowers and messages of support piled up outside the Pretoria hospital where Mr Mandela was admitted on June 8 with a recurring lung problem dating back to his time at the windswept Robben Island prison camp near Cape Town.

South African President Jacob Zuma, in a televised address, on Monday hailed the life of a man seen as the father of the nation.

"All of us in the country should accept that Madiba is now old," Mr Zuma said, using Mandela's clan name.

"I think what we need to do as a country is to pray for him to be well and that the doctors do their work."

Relatives have been gathering at Mr Mandela's bedside each day as doctors battle to save the moral icon, who was once considered a terrorist by the United States and Britain for his support of violence against the apartheid regime.

Ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela – herself a figurehead of the anti-apartheid struggle – visited the hospital on Monday along with daughters Zindzi Mandela-Motlhajwa and Zenani Mandela-Dlamini and scores of officials.

A few vehicles were seen early Tuesday entering and exiting the hospital but otherwise the scene was quiet except for a pack of waiting journalists.

Messages of goodwill flooded in from overseas, including from the White House, which said its thoughts and prayers were with Mandela.

US President Barack Obama leaves on Wednesday on a much-awaited tour of Africa that will take him to South Africa as well as Senegal and Tanzania.

The White House said it was monitoring Mr Mandela's condition and could not yet say whether his ill health would affect the visit.

Other well-wishers included Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, who hailed the former South African president as "influential and amazing".

Mr Mandela – who is due to celebrate his 95th birthday on July 18 – has been hospitalised four times since December.

His eldest daughter, Makaziwe, has said her father seems to be at peace with himself. ''He has given so much to the world. I believe he is at peace.''